General interview questions

General questions are typically asked at the beginning of the

conversation and help the interviewer get to know you.
Examples include:

1. Tell me about yourself.

2. How did you hear about this college?
3. What do you know about our school?
4. Why do you want to attend this college?
5. Why do you feel you should be accepted to this
college?
6. What are some of your academic strengths?
7. What do you consider your academic weaknesses?
How do you address them?
8. What do you plan to major in? Why?
9. What are the expectations of your college education
program?
10. What will you do to make make a difference at
this college?

Questions about your educational

background
You may be asked questions about your high school experience
and educational background. Examples include:

1. What was your graduating GPA (grade point

average?
2. What extracurricular activities have you
participated in?
3. Did you complete any honors or AP(advanced
placement) courses? If so, which ones?
4. How would you describe your high school
atmosphere?
5. What are some of your academic achievements?
6. What academic skills do you feel you can improve
on?
7. What are some of your interests outside of school?
 8. What skills have you developed to help you succeed
in college?
9. Describe an experience or project you worked on in
high school that you enjoyed?
10. Where do you see yourself in five years?

Questions about your experiences

You may be asked more about your life experiences, how you
see the world and what you do with your time. Examples
include:

1. What have you read recently that has impacted or

changed how you see the world?
2. Describe a time when you had to work as part of a
team.
3. If you won the lottery, what would you do with the
money?
4. Who do you consider a role model in your personal
life?
5. What makes you different from other students at
this school?
6. Describe a time when you stepped up as a leader.
7. What does being successful mean to you?
8. Can you describe a challenge that you overcame?
9. What do you do for fun in your free time?
10. What are three adjectives to best describe you?

In-depth questions
1. Why are you interested in pursuing your major?
2. What skills do you expect to develop through your
degree program?
3. Do you plan to continue your education?
4. What career fields interest you?
5. Will you seek financial aid?
6. What are your plans after you graduate college?
7. Where do you hope to be career-wise in 10 years?
 8. What are some academic goals you hope to
accomplish in college?
9. What skills do you hope to develop in college?
10. Do you plan to participate in activities outside
of class?

College interview questions and sample

answers
Here are some sample interview answers to help you prepare
for your college interview:

How will you contribute to the college community?

During your college interview, the interviewer might ask you

this question as a way to gauge your involvement and
commitment to the school. If there are sports, clubs or other
types of extracurricular activities you are interested in, you can
explain that to the interviewer.

Example: "I was very involved with my high school political

science club. Since I will be majoring in political science, I hope
to join the club here, too, so I can continue developing my skills
in that subject."

Why are you interested in pursuing your major?

College students may enter their educational programs with no

idea of what they will study. The interviewer most likely wants
to know if you at least have a plan for your college career.
Answer honestly with your reasons for choosing your major. If
you have yet to narrow down your choices, you might discuss
two or three majors that highly interest you and your reasons for
choosing them.

Example: "I am interested in a career in political science

because I feel like my generation should be involved with the
development of our nation. I also feel that my generation has an
equal responsibility to contribute to our nation and I hope by
studying political science I can inspire more young people to
take part in our country's governmental processes."
What skills do you expect to develop through your
program?

You might be asked this question to assess your awareness of

your academic weaknesses and how you plan to develop or
improve your various academic skills. Keep your answer honest
and include one or two main skills you would like to develop.

Example: "In high school, my research writing wasn't as strong

as I would have liked, and I continue to build my writing skills in
this area. I hope that through my educational program I can
further develop this skill to become an efficient researcher and
writer."

Do you plan to continue your education?

If you are presented with this question, don’t be afraid to say

you don’t know at this time. However, if you do plan to attend
graduate school, discuss this in your answer.

Example: "I can see myself pursuing a higher degree after

undergraduate school, though I do not quite know yet if that is
something I want to do. I feel like I will have a better idea of my
higher education goals after attending my program for a while."

What career fields interest you?

The interviewer may be assessing your interests and evaluating

which programs you would be best suited for. You might narrow
down your interests to two or three career fields that relate to
your major.

Example: "I honestly don't know what I will be doing after

graduation, but I know I would love to pursue a career in
international affairs, legislation or another political field."

Will you seek financial aid?

If the interviewer asks this question, it is most likely to assess

which financial aid programs, grants or scholarships may be
options for you. If you plan to seek financial aid, let them know
in your answer what steps you have already taken to address
the costs of college.
Example: "I was awarded several scholarships during high
school, and I will be seeking additional qualifying grants."

What are your plans after you graduate college?

If you are still considering what to major in, you may not have
an exact answer for this. However, if you have certain career
interests, travel plans or other development goals, share them
in your answer.

Example: "I don't have an exact plan for after graduation,

however, I do plan to pursue my career in political science. I
hope that by moving into this career field, I can also travel to
some parts of the world that I've been wanting to see."

Best Interview Tips for College Students

What are some academic goals you hope to accomplish

in college?

This question might be presented as a way to assess your

motivation and commitment to your education. If you have
specific goals, share them in your answer.

Example: "I would love to increase my knowledge of applied

mathematics and earn top scores in my political science
classes by the end of my first year in college. I feel that by
accomplishing these goals I can further develop my critical and
creative thinking."

What skills do you hope to develop in college?

The interviewer may ask this question as a way to address your

awareness of your skill level. Answer honestly with skill sets
that you feel you can improve while attending college.

Example: "I feel that my writing and communication skills can

be improved. I plan to use my class time to work on developing
my skills in this area. I feel that improving these skills will help
me become a better writer and public speaker."

Do you plan to participate in academic activities outside

of class?
This question can serve as a way to assess your interest,
motivation and dedication to your college campus. If there are
projects, research papers or other academic pursuits you are
interested in outside of class, share that in your answer.

Example: "I am familiar with the academic clubs and

opportunities your school offers outside of class, and I'm very
interested in getting involved with a political research project. I
would even be happy to start a project with other interested
classmates."